To celebrate the launch of Oxford Fashion Week on Monday, TIM HUGHES discovers the style secrets of some of the city’s hottest music acts.

They seek him here, they seek him there... his clothes are loud, but never square....

When it comes to style, musicians have always been dedicated followers of fashion, setting the trends for others to follow.

From Johnny Cash to John Lydon, Bryan Ferry to Madonna the sharpest styles and hottest looks have started off on stage.

We turned to some of our own trendsetters to share their style secrets.

l Joe Swarbrick, frontman with cabaret rock band Borderville Define your style? Edgy country gent with tweeds and lurid colours.

Best-loved item? An Antony Price purple tweed jacket. It’s half-hunting jacket and half tail coat.

Favourite shop? The Top Man website. I can never find things in vintage shops – they are always too big or small.

Style icon? Nick Cave wears suits well though I was disappointed to see when he crashed his Jaguar on Brighton seafront he was pictured wearing a puffa jacket!

Fashion-related mishap? I had a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ once on stage, but I don’t think anyone noticed. Fortunately my guitar was at waist height and I was able to remedy the situation and resume playing.

Borderville’s album Joy Through Work is available now.

lRobert Stevenson fashionable frontman of A Silent Film Define your style? Gentleman of rock; smartly-dressed but unintentionally scruffy.

Best-loved item? My new glasses. They are geek-chic and trendy.

Favourite shop? All Saints.

Style icon? Lady Gaga.

Fashion mishap? When a heel fell off my brogues while walking through US customs.

A Silent Film next week embark on a nine-week tour of the USA.

lJohn West, sax player with jazz-swing act The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band Define your style? Saville Row anarchist.

Best-loved item? My bow tie.

Favourite shop? Walters of Oxford, in Turl Street. It’s been there forever.

Style icon? Humphrey Bogart, or any of those old movie idols; I like the way people presented themselves.

Fashion mishap? The time our pianist Stuart decided to see how many pairs of trousers he could pull down on stage. It ended up like a rugby scrum.

The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band play the Old Bookbinders on March 26. Tickets are £7 from wegottickets.com lAidan Larkin, ska promoter and face behind the Skylarkin’ Soundsystem Define your style? Old.

Best-loved item? A couple of old gaudy German Chenaski shirts. They are a bit frayed, but I can’t part with them.

Favourite shop? Reign Wear, in Cowley Road, and the Brixton Hat Company.

Style icon? The Krays. I like that old East End-gent look and that smart Jamaican style which came to London in the 40s. Those guys really knew how to dress up.Fashion mishap? The worst crime was when we took the Disco Shed to the Big Chill and, in an attempt to get the ladies to take their tops off, we removed our shirts. As we were inside the shed we looked naked, except for our hats – which was wrong. And the only people to take their tops off were the blokes, which was doubly wrong.

The Skylarkin’ Soundsystem present the legendary Dawn Penn at the Cellar on March 3 and 4. Tickets for the Thursday are £12 from wegottickets. Saturday is sold out.

lSarah Dodd, matinee-idol pin-up from The Long Insiders Define your style? Pre-1962, collected. I have odds and ends I can’t throw away.

Best-loved item? I have a crush on silk scarves. I have more than 40. I’ve also just bought a new 1950s pin-up style dress from Vivien of Holloway, which I love.

Favourite shop? Portobello Road Market.

Style icon? Peggy Lee. She carried off glamour without looking ridiculous.

Fashion mishap? My dad once melted one of my 70s tops, leaving an iron-shaped burn mark. Then there’s the time I split my skirt all the way up to the top during a gig – probably giving away too much on stage!

The Long Insiders play the Burlesque night at the Café Coco, Park End Street, Oxford, on Saturday.